Conditions ripe for overcoming a two-goal deficit

Statistics suggest United should feel confident ahead of the second leg

Heading into Sunday's Eastern Conference Final, United will either end its season on Sunday or overcome a two-goal deficit and go on to host MLS Cup on December 1. The stats suggest the Black-and-Red can do it.

At the end of regular season, only San Jose (72 GF), Los Angeles (59 GF), and New York (57 GF) netted more goals than D.C. United's 53.

D.C. United has 15 multi-goal games this year.

The Black-and-Red have netted four goals three times (against FC Dallas, the New York Red Bulls and Chicago Fire); three goals six different times (against the Houston Dynamo, San Jose Earthquakes, Toronto FC, New England Revolution, Montreal Impact and Columbus Crew); and two goals six different times (against the New England Revolution twice, Toronto FC, New York Red Bulls twice and Colorado Rapids).

D.C. United is tied for 4th in League with most wins by 2+ goals

When it comes to winning games by two goals or more, D.C. United (7) is tied for fourth in the League. Only LA (11), San Jose (9), Seattle (9), Colorado (8), New York (8), and Montreal (8) have one more games by two or more goals.

On the other side of things, Houston is tied for 4th in the League with most losses by 2+ goals. Only Chivas USA (10), Toronto FC (9), New York (8), Montreal (8), and Portland (8) have more losses by two or more goals – none of which are still in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Houston prone to giving up goals on the road

Through 34 regular season games, only two teams given up more goals while on the road than the Houston Dynamo (29) - last place Toronto FC (37) and seventh place Montreal Impact (32).

The Dynamo were 3-9-5 on the road through the regular season, with big losses coming to the Vancouver Whitecaps (3-1 on 6/10), Montreal Impact (4-2 on 6/23), the Chicago Fire (3-1 on 9/2), the Philadelphia Union (3-1 on 9/23), and the Colorado Rapids (2-0 on 10/27).